Automatic pintle hook



July 12, 1927.

C. G. CLEMENT AUTOMATIC PINTLEYHOOK Filed Aug. 30. .1926

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bar or draw bar isengagedwith it.

Patented July 12, 19 27.

I gU Nl-TED' s'r Ares 7 CHARLES G. CLEMENT, or nn'enn'ron, wrsconsrn. Assisnoa'ro 'nre'nwzry tannins COMPANY, or EDGER'ION, wrscons'm, n coRro'RA'rIonfo-r wrsconsm'.

AUTOMATIC PINTLE noon.

This invention relates to a pintle hook of the type employed for coupling road vehicles together as for example for hitching a trailer to a motor truck or to' a' tractor; and its purpose is to provide a hook adapted to lock automatically when the eye of the coupling The invention consists in certain features-and elements of construction in combination as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims; I

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pintle hook embodying this invention with a portion broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same with a part of the hook shown in section taken as indicated by line 22 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is in the nature of a top plan view taken as a section at line 33 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation similar to Fig ure 1 showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a detail section of the modified form shown in Figure 4. Referring first to the form of the device shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 it may be understood that it comprises a shank l which may be of any convenient form for attachment to a vehicle frame, not shown, and from which there extends the hook member proper as shown at 2. This hook is designed to cooperate with an eye at the end of a draw bar as indicated'in dotted outline at A in Figure 1. Overhanging the upwardly open hook 2 thedevice is formed with an integral arm or horn 3 to which a swinging guard 7 member 4 is pivotally attached by means of a transverse bolt 5. The member 4 is of hifurcated form comprising two side plates which swing past opposite faces of the arm or horn 3 and serve to close the gap of the hook 2 for locking the eye of the draw bar therein. These two parts of the guard member 4 are transversely connected by an integral tie portion 6 which strikes against the the nose of the hook 2 when the guard stands in closed position, said nose having a notch or.recess 2 formed'to receive the cross tie 6 so that the guard, in effect, overlaps the nose of the hook in closed position.- When the guard 4 1s swung back into open positlon this cross tie 6 enters a second recess 3 in the forward face of the arm. or horn 3'to provide ample clearance for entering the eye A in the opening of. the hook. It willbe evident that the entering movement of the draw bar eye as it strikes against the forward edges of the guard 4 will, of itself,

swing theguard 4 to open position.

Whenthe eye A has been guided down.

onto the hook 2Ythe guard 4 will: tend to swing back to closed position under theaction of gravity, but to insure this return of the guard and to,- holdit definitely in: its closed po ition' notwithstanding any jolts or jars it-may receive as the vehicles travel over rough roads, I prefer to' provideyielding retaining means shown in Figure lfas consisting of; a guide rod: or bolt 7- piv-otally connected at 8 to the arm 3 and carrying a compression spring 9 which acts against a sliding stop or collar 10 on the bolt 7 to swing the guard member 4 downwardly and forward into position for closing the hook 2. As indicated in Figure 3 the side plates of theguard 4 are connected by an integral portion 11 extending transversely above the arm 3 and formed with an aperture at 12 through which the bolt 7 extends. The stop 10 is preferably of hemispherical form so that it will seat itself against the edge of the aperture 12'and adjust itself thereon when the guard 4 is swung upwardly as indicated with dotted linesin Figure 1. The nut 13 on the end of the bolt 7 may be used for adjusting the stiffness of the spring 9. A crank handle 14 may be formed to project from one of the side platesfof the guard 4 so that by grasping the handle 14 the guard may be swung up to open position for releasing eye A from hook 2 when it is desired to uncouple the Vehicles. The structure shown in Figure 4 is similar to that of Figure 1 except that the compression spring 19 is carried on a bolt 17 which extends into a pocket 20 formed in the rear portion of the arm 3. The nut 23 on. the bolt 17 engages the rim of an opening 22 in the transverse connecting portion of the guard member 40 while the spring 19 re-acts between the head 18 on the lower end of the bolt 17 and a bushing 24 which is screwed into the upper'end of the pocket 20 to confine the spring 19 therein. This makes a somewhat more compact structure than that of Figure l and encloses the bolt and retaining spring in a manner which guards them against accidental injury.

I claim 1. A pintle hook comprising an upwardly open hook portion with an overhanging arm, a pair of swinging guard members pivotally supported on said arm on opposite sides thereof and arranged to engage said arm for limiting the movement of the men1- hers, and a spring yieldingly holding said guard members in position to close the hook.

2. A piutle hook comprising an upwardly open hook portion with an overhanging arm, a guard comprising a pair of side plates with transverse connecting portions and pivotal means on which said guard is supported by the arm with said plates normally extending past the opening of the hook, one of the transverse connecting portions extending above the arm, and a spring reacting against said portion to hold the guard yieldingly in position to close the hook.

3. A pintle hook comprising an upwardly open hook portion with an m erhanging arm, a guard comprising a pair of side plates with transverse connecting portions, and pivotal means on which said guard is supported by the arm with said plates positioned to swing past the opening of the hook for closing it, one of the transverse connecting portions extending above the arm and being apertured, a guide bolt extending through the aperture, and a compression spring coiled about said guide bolt reacting between the guard member and the body of the hook to hold the guard yieldingly in position to close the hook.

4. In the combination defined in claim 2, said transverse connecting portion having an aperture, :1 guide bolt anchored to the body oi? the hook and extending upwardly through said aperture, a spring coiled on the guide bolt, and a stop not at the upper end ot the bolt against which said spring reacts downwardly upon the transverse portion for holding the guard member yieldingly in position to close the hook.

5. In the combination defined in claim 2,

said transverse conneeting portion being r apertured, and the body of the hook below said portion having a pocket, a guide bolt extending through the aperture and into the pocket, said bolt having a stop shoulder within the pocket, a coiled spring on the bolt in the pocket, and means at the mouth of the pocket retaining the spring therein, whereby the s n-lug is compressed when the guard is swmig open and operates to hold said guard yieldingly in hook-closing position.

CHARLES G. CLEMENT. 

